Is Man Free or Determined in His Worship?

The questioner:
This brother says: We request that the name and address of the recordings be announced so that we can obtain a copy of this lecture.

The Shaykh:
We request what?

The presenter:
He says: We request that the recordings of this lecture be announced.

The Shaykh:
Punishment.

The presenter:
We know that the recordings are called "al-Bardayn," but I do not know if they were recorded or not?

The Shaykh:
Yes, there is someone who recorded it, yes.

The questioner:
Your Eminence the Shaykh, the questioner asks: Is man free or determined in his worship?

The Shaykh:
Man is both given free will and subject to divine decree. Allah has decreed everything, granted him intellect, granted him insight, and granted him the ability to act. Thus, he moves within Allah's decree, and he is given the choice to do or to leave. (Exalted and Majestic is He) He wills from them He is the Knower of what you do, the Knower of what you act, the Knower of what you make. So the servant has an action, a choice, a will, and an intellect; he acts, takes, gives, and works. He is given the choice, so he chooses disobedience and commits a sin, or he chooses obedience and is rewarded. It is not unknown, and the past decree will not go beyond Allah's decree. As He the Exalted said: "It is He who makes you travel on land and sea." He said: He said: Allah wills. So, O servant of Allah, you have power, you have action, you have desire, you have will, and you have intellect. It is obligatory for you to direct these in the obedience of Allah, in fulfilling the rights of Allah, and in leaving the prohibitions of Allah. And by doing this, you ask your Lord that Allah will help you, guide you, and grant you correctness in your speech and your work. He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: "To every thing," and His knowledge has preceded all things, Glorified and Exalted is He.